Inside The Huskies

Ex-Husky Nick Taylor Win Canadian Open With Miracle Putt

The Canadian-born golfer becomes the first countryman to claim the event in 69 years.

Dan Raley

In this story:

With nighttime fast approaching, one glorious, water-logged, long-distance putt turned Nick Taylor into a national hero.

On the fourth playoff hole of the RBC Canadian Open, Canadian-born Taylor dropped in a miraculous 72-foot putt to beat Brit Tommy Fleetwood in Toronto, giving his country one of its most memorable sporting accomplishments.

The former University of Washington golfing great (2007-10) originally from Abbotsford, British Columbia, became the first Canadian in 69 years to win this national open.

"This is the most incredible feeling I've ever had," Taylor said in a wild aftermath that included rain and getting further doused by excited fans.

Nick Taylor, former UW golfer, won the Canadian Open.
Former Husky Nick Taylor won the Canadian Open with a 72-foot putt in a four-hole playoff :: Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports

His performance, giving him three PGA Tour victories, was unforgettable from start to finish. He opened with a stumbling 3-over-par 75 that nearly sent him home early.

Taylor responded with rounds of 67, 63 and 66, good for a 17-under 271 total, to force the playoff at Oakdale Golf and Country Club. 

He and Fleetwood battled through those four playoff holes, that included playing No. 18 three times, including when Taylor buried the game-winner for eagle on the 499-yard closing par 5 and sending the partisan crowd into a frenzy.

When the shot went in, in a hurry, Taylor flung his putter over his shoulder and his caddie tackled him as he looked a little dazed.

Taylor, who was the 2010 Ben Hogan winner signifying him as the nation's top golfer for the Huskies, previously won the 2014 Sanderson Farm Championship in Jackson, Mississippi, and the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.

He earned a winner's check of $1.62 million. 

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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